locations,BC
 

looking for info on the best family areas in BC, preferably around Vancouver.
Visited Vancouver a few times, really liked it, but would prefer something a little out of the city for family but close enough to commute.
Heard White Rock, Victoria, West Vancouver, & Yaletown are all good?
Are there any areas with a strong Greek community?
Thanks

Re: locations,BC
 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greektown,_Vancouver

If money were no object, I'd live in North or West Vancouver.

Re: locations,BC
 

If money were no object i wouldn't be in such a dilemma all the time!
Appreciate your view so thanks for that.
We would quite like to be near the coast, hence the reason we thought of White Rock, but have also heard that it is more suitable for older people (fine for us, but we have a 12 year old!).
:)

Re: locations,BC
 

Whereabouts will be you be working or need to commute to?

Re: locations,BC
 

We dont have jobs arranged, or anything like that, still at the researching stage. Need to find out if there is any demand for our line of work (social care, youth work, motorcycle mechanic, nursery nurse). Once we find that out we can start looking at best areas to stay.
Other option is to come over for 6 months as visitors to get a better idea.

Re: locations,BC
 

Do you have a visa?

Re: locations,BC
 

yaletown is downtown and not a family area

white rock is nice (also check out south surrey which is essentially the same area) bit of a commute though, we came very close to moving there but decided not as my oh works right downtown. we settled on north van instead.

As for a strong greek community, the area very west on west broadway certainly has greek infuence not sure if its strong or not, sadly amongst the more expensive areas, also very close to the ocean and beach.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greektown,_Vancouver

I love victoria

west vancouver is nice but is dead and very expensive - average house a million plus.

One area often overlooked here is steveston in richmond. nice little town right on the water, very good for families. Bit cheaper.

Re: locations,BC
 

No, nothing like that yet.
We had thought about immigrating 5 years ago but were put off by the very long processing times, i think things have changed now, trying to get up to date info.
We are also in a better position to think about it again (3 of our 4 children have finished school & are working).
Open to suggestions on suitable(safe,friendly) areas to live with a 12 year old, who loves motocross riding!

Do they have motocross tracks in Canada?!?! :unsure:

Re: locations,BC
 

OK, in which case I think you're putting the cart before the horse so to speak! Visa processing times have reduced dramatically since they changed the system in 2008, but they're also tightened things up considerably - it used to be that anybody with 67 points or more qualified for PR as a Skilled Worker, but now you also need either a job on 'the list' of occupations in demand, or a job offer approved by HRSDC. From what you've said, none of the occupations you've mentioned are on 'the list' so you're going to need a job offer to get a visa.

And that job offer may well not even be in BC! So no point worrying about exactly where to live in Vancouver just yet. You'll need to job search as widely as possible to give yourself the best possible chance of finding an approved job offer, so don't worry about the finer details just yet. A job offer and visa really need to be your first step, and then once you've got that all important job offer you can figure out where you want to live based on where you'll be working.

Good luck. :)

Edit: you mention that 3 of your children have finished school and are working, how old are they??

Re: locations,BC
 

So if you had started it 5 years ago you could have a residency permit by now or even living in Canada!

Unless your budget is unlimited, you may also be well advised to look in areas that fit your budget. West Van is some of the most expensive real estate in the country. Water front property around Vancouver don't expect to pay under $1m and often well over.

Re: locations,BC
 

thanks for that guys - you have no idea how many times we have kicked ourselves over the years for not pursuing our first application!!

But, i am a great believer that things happen for a reason & things were more complicated 5 years ago. Now our older children are independent(financially as well), we are less restricted in looking for a suitable area as we do not need to look for primary schools & high schools etc. (they are 23, 21 & 17)

My husband went for loads of interviews the last time & there was a lot of interest in the service he provides, teaching/training vunerable young people motocycle mechanics allowing them to gain a qualification or go into further education. So any ideas on where we should be looking would be great.
Where should we look for jobs for those living outside Canada?
:unsure:

Re: locations,BC
 

A laudable occuptation, but not one that is likely to enable you to live in a $1m house I'dve thought?

Re: locations,BC
 

yeh, kind of thought that myself!!
Okay..... so where is affordable for us lowly paid souls?!?
Should we come over for a few months, check it out then see about starting application process...again!
:(

Re: locations,BC
 

Check out the Fraser Valley, commutable to Vancouver, South Surrey, affordable away from the coast, Pitt Meadows/Maple Ridge. Rent for a while, you might be surprised how things change from your initial plans and perceptions once you are here. Renting gives more flexibility and mobility.

Re: locations,BC
 

White Rock is fine for kids.

Re: locations,BC
 

I've not seen a track, but there are 400,000 sq kilometers of bush in BC. I quite often see pickups with a couple of dirt encrusted off-road bikes in the back so it must be going on somewhere.

Re: locations,BC
 

Disturbing the peace and quiet as well as wrecking the forests.

Re: locations,BC
 

I live on the Sunshine Coast, beyond beautiful, ideal for kids and such a laid back attitude. Although its a 40 min ferry ride to Vancouver, everyone commutes. Highly recomend it.

Re: locations,BC
 

Are you aware that your 23 year old wouldn't be able to accompany you (and in all likelihood, your 21 year old as s/he will probably have turned 22 before you've found a job, got a LMO, visa etc)? Just didn't know if you realised that as you've mentioned taking them all with you, but only children that are under 22 can go with you on any visa, unless they are still in full time education (and have been continually since turning 22).

As for jobs, have a read of the Job Hunting guide in the Wiki, which is full of useful hints and tips.

:)

Re: locations,BC
 

What could be more Canadian?


<And a fine quote coming from a Pilot.........;)>

Re: locations,BC
 

http://www.gkma.ca/Motocross/default.asp host to the CMRC Pro Nationals on June 5 & 6.

Re: locations,BC
 

From my initial research hand what I have seen, the Sunshine Coast is one area I am certainly considering. I think we will end up heading for Vancouver until we secure jobs and discover the surrounding area.

But once we have fully settled in I would consider somewhere a bit more rural and laid back, so the Sunshine Coast seems ideal. You say there is a 40minute ferry ride, is this the one from Langdale to Horseshoe Bay? Are there any ferries from the Sunshone coat direct to Vancouver downtown? And if so how long do they take? What is the property price like along the Sunshine Coast?

:)

Re: locations,BC
 

no ferries direct, you have to get off at horseshoe bay then its about a 30 min drive downtown (traffic depending).

A friend of ours commutes from Gibsons to davie and burrard so it is possible, but sounds like a hell of a hassle to me, not to mention the expense.

Not sure about house prices, expensive I imagine like everywhere here.

Re: locations,BC
 

I agree with Dboy. The house prices (actually checked recently cos was curious) are def. cheaper but that's because it's a hassle to get anywhere. Be a great place if you had your own business or only had to go to Van occasionally (once a week, for example) though.

Re: locations,BC
 

I wouldn't personally choose to raise a family in Yaletown, but many yuppies do. Perhaps it's not a traditional family area, but if you're seeking a car-free, urban, downtown high-rise lifestyle, Yaletown would be a good area for families, especially with Elsie Roy Elementary school next to David Lam Park and the Roundhouse Community Center nearby. Kids in Yaletown learn to ride their bikes on the seawall, not on the streets. ;)

Re: locations,BC
 

We live amongst the Greeks on West Broadway. There are quite a lot of restaurants & a Greek supermarket. Once a year they hold a festival in the street & everyone eats souvlaiki & dances. I feel very at home here, just because we're all European (I'm not Greek)
http://insidevancouver.ca/2009/06/22...reet-festival/

I notice there's also an area of Greeks here.
http://www.vancouvergreeksummerfest.com/
This may be a bit more affordable than the westside. It's worth checking out when you get here.

Good luck
Helen

Re: locations,BC
 

Edit : re posts 2 and 23 - it's a busy day!


If I were going to commute daily I would probably do it by transit. The bus service on the Sunshine Coast is timed to drop off and pick up when the ferry arrives. From Horseshoe Bay you can get a bus into downtown. Commuting by car is expensive and sometimes time consuming - a line up of several hours is not unknown on a summer Friday evening. It seems to work best for people who have some flexibility over their days or hours. If you can work from hone on Mondays and Fridays and go into town Tuesday through Thursday for example it becomes mush less of a chore.

As for prices, they vary greatly depending on water access, views and distance from the ferry terminal. You can get a one bed condo in Gibsons for well under $200,000, a single family home for $300,000-$350,000. Less in Sechelt. Waterfront is still mega bucks anywhere.

Re: locations,BC
 

very good point. I saw an interview once about an american couple who moved there and raised two kids and the local parks etc which as much as their home as someones yard. I'm guessing they were minted though.... 3 bed in Yaletown.....

Re: locations,BC
 

i love the west end of broadway, it never gets the recognition it deserves. Modern Burger....yum yum

Re: locations,BC
 

Gibsons to Vancouver? - that's got to mean losing between 3 and 4 hours a day just travelling... only the crazy and the desperate put up with that kind of commute. If I had it, I'd move.

Re: locations,BC
 

Quite a few people do it. I agree that everyday it will wear you down and I wouldn't recommend it if you have a 9-5 five days a week job.

Re: locations,BC
 

I can imagine people doing it (I know people with similar length commutes in the UK - for some that work in the city it's normal). Still getting up at 6 and getting home at 8 or 9 doesn't appeal to me - even if it's only a couple of days a week. This is probably because I've gotten used to walking to work for the last 5 years and commuting is not something I'd like to go back to - especially of that magnitude.

Re: locations,BC
 

i know, she only works 3 days, but still.... i couldn't do it, despite how beautiful the commute is.

Re: locations,BC
 

I could do it a few days a week. But only on transit. Then you can kick back and let someone else do the driving.

Re: locations,BC
 

Ssshhh don't tell anyone.

Broadway & MacDonald = centre of the universe
22 Bus to Kits beach & downtown = so convenient

It's a great area for families, schools, beaches, UBC ...

Re: locations,BC
 

I vote the Drive